Welcome to the Family Altar Daily Devotional Guide of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18TH 2025
TOPIC: DEVELOP THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER
BIBLE PASSAGE: LUKE 21: 33 – 38

KEY VERSE:
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man – Luke 21:36

Our Lord Jesus Christ maintained an attitude of prayer throughout His life and ministry by going into the wilderness to fast and pray. He ended His physical life with a prayer handing over His spirit into the hands of God (Luke 23:46). He commands us to watch and pray (Luke 21:36).

At baptism, Jesus prayed and the heaven was opened, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and a voice spoke about Him (Luke 3:21-22). Jesus, before the breaking of the day will go to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35). In the day, Jesus will depart to a desert place. In Luke 5:51 He will withdraw to the wilderness and pray. The more Jesus was successful in His ministry: preaching, healing the sick, doing miracles with the multitude; the more he withdrew to pray (Luke 4:41;5:15-16). He goes to the mountain to pray, and sometimes prays all the night (Luke 6:12). When Jesus was troubled, He went to Gethsemane and prayed (Matt. 26:37-46).

If our mentor excelled in His earthly ministry through prayer, we need to also develop the attitude of prayer. To develop the attitude of prayer, one needs to grow from having a prayer time to living a prayer life. We should also develop from having fasting time to living a fasting life. You can start with a schedule of time to pray and fast. From following the schedule, you will graduate to praying without a schedule.

Develop the attitude of withdrawing to be alone with God. Pray when you are troubled, pray when you are glad. Pray by adoration, pray by thanksgiving, pray by confession, supplication and intercession. Pray privately and publicly. Pray individually and pray in agreement with others. Pray for the promises of God to be fulfilled, pray also for needs and challenges.

ACTION:
Pray without ceasing

PRAYER:
Father, give me the hunger to pray always.